Fire Erupts at Bruceville-Eddy Paint Recycling Plant

Several area crews responded to a major fire at the Southern Enterprises of Envirocare, Inc. plant near Bruceville-Eddy Tuesday morning.

Firefighters were dispatched to the facility at 1551 Old Moody Rd. shortly after 9 am. After assessing the situation, first responders requested assistance from other departments. Nearby residents were not evacuated, but were advised to shelter in place.

As crews battled the fire, the Waco Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials Team conducted air quality tests in the area, particularly around three Bruceville-Eddy schools located directly to the south of the plant. As a precaution, the schools turned off their air-conditioning for about an hour before officials determined that the air was free of contaminants.

A hazmat team with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is assisting in the cleanup. According to an official with the TCEQ, a mix of water and paint chemicals was created during the firefighting process, but has been retained on-site.

KWTX reports that the plant was found to be in violation of 17 OSHA regulations in June of 2013. The violations were abated and the case closed.